Vestibule-diaphragm buffer-spring.



F. G. FowLEn.

VESTIBULE DIAPHRAGM BUFFER SPRING.

. APPLlcATloN FILED AuG.30. 191e.

192999929 Patented Apr. 8,1919.

entran enanas 'earner ernten.

G. FO'WLEB., 0F ALTOONA., PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WALTER P. MURPHY,

. OF'GHIQAGO, ILLINOIS.

VESTIBUIrE-DIAPHRAGM BUFFER-SPRING'.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

n Application led August 30, 1916. Serial No. 117,746.

.Per portion of the diaphragm face plate o the vestibule for thevpurpose of holding the -face plate in proper place against the corresonding element of the vestibule of' the adjacent car and for returningsaid 'face plate to its normal position after it has been displaced, forexample, inV rounding a curve. The spring used in this connection isordinarily a compound leaf spring, .a semi-elliptical Aspring which isusually fastened at its middle to the diaphragm face plate and has theextremities of its master leaf slidably engaged with the end Wall of thecar, by confining means which, while permittlng the free movements ofthe ends of the spring when the latter is compressed and expands,subjects the spring to a strain when the diaphragm plate is displaced,which tends to return the plate to its proper position after the carshave resumed their normal alinement.

Because of the inequalities of the :road bed and consequent movements ofthe end of the car both vertically and sidewise, `the diaphragm plate ofa car vestibule is subject to almost continuous vibration while the caris in service. This subjects the free ends of the spring to a constantrubbing against the surfaces with which they contact, thel friction ofwhich soon wears such surfaces. "My present invention has for its objectto provide the means for confining the ends of a spring of this sortwith removable Wear plates which can be readily replaced when they areworn sufficiently to make replacement desirable.

The invention is illustrated ina preferred embodiment vin theaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1' is a fragmentary view showing,

in elevation,l the end of a vestibule railway passenger car provldedwith a 'diaphragm between the end wall of for example,

. gagement with the end wall of the car by the devices of my invention.i

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the end of the car,showing, however, only such elements of the car structure as are hereconcerned. v

Fig. Sis a view, in perspective, of one of the devices for providingengagement between the springV and the car.

Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of the parts of one of these devices.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several figuresof the drawing.

In the drawing, 10 indicates the end wall of the car which is shown asof steel vconstruction, and 11 the diaphragm face plate. The bufferspring is indicated at 12., The spring is shown as anchored at itsmiddle point to kthe diaphragm face late by rivets 13.'. Its extremitieshave a siding engagement with the end wall 10 of the car. This is thecustomary arrangement of the spring, although it will be possible toreverse its position So that' the rigid attachment should be made to thecar wall instead of to the face plate.

The master leaf 14. of the spring has its extremities bent: over, asindicated at 14B. The devices for providing the slidable enbetween theextremities of the spring andthe car wall consist, in each case,preferably of a Wear plate 15 and a tapered hannel-shaped housing 16,the latter being .provided with anges 17 and the two parts Preferablythe area of the wear plate is Y greater than that of the housing, sothat when the housing is secured to the wear plate the latter will havemarginal attaching.

ianges 20 which are drilled at 21 for the rivets or other means employedfor attaching the wear plate to the end of the car.

-Wfhen the constant rubbing of the spring against plate 15 has worn theplate down, it is a simple matter to cut the attaching rivets or otherfastening devices, and remove the wear plate and housing member from thecar. If the housing member is uninjured, it can be used again `inconnection with a new wear plate.

I claim: 1. The combination with the end wall and free extremity of saidspring which permitssaid sliding movements While subjectlng the springto a strain When the diaphragm face plate is displaced f rom its normalposition,

such means comprising a housing member extending around the saidextremity of the spring, a Wear plate comprising a fiatsheet ofmaterial, and means, capable of ready detachment, for securing the Wearplate and housing member to the last mentioned element of the car.

2. The combination with the end Wall and diaphragm face late ofavestibuled rail- Way car, of a lea spring anchored to one of theaforesaid elements of the car with an extremity slidably engaged Withthe other of such elements, a fiat wear plate against v rWhich saidextremity spring anchored to one of of the spring bears, means fordetachably securing sald Wear plate to said last mentioned element ofthe car, a housing member to surround the extremity of the springcomprising a sheet of metal pressed to form a channel of diminishingdepth and outstanding flanges at the sides of said channel, and meansfor securing said flanges to said Wear plate.

3.l A device forattaching the end of a buffer spring of a vestibule diaragni to a car, 'comprising a housing mem er adapted to extend aroundthe extremity of the spring, and a fiat Wear plate to which said housingmember is secured having margins surrounding said housing member, andmeans engaging said margins for removably securing said plate to the carend.

` FRANK G. FOWLER. Witnesses:

P. H. TRUMAN, H. M. GmLEsPm.

